Into the Sunset
by tirelessadvisor
Summary: "Elincia is the sun's rays to you…let this bracelet shine in that light…and then kiss her with all the love you possess…" - L&E Valentine's Day fic.


**Into The Sunset**_  
>Year 650<br>Noon  
>Phoenicis, Tellius<br>_

"Oh thank goodness…we're finally here." Elincia heaved a deep sigh of relief.

At long last, the floating rocking isle of the hawks had arrived within her sight. Having been in the island area, the fresh winds had picked up in intensity and frolicked with the ocean underneath them.

"Oh Emi I know sweetheart, it's been such a long journey…" Elincia pet her pegasi, Eminence, who's eyes were drooped heavy with great tiredness. The beating of her pegasi's wings were now heavy and loud in sound. With the winds having picked up, it was now much harder work for Eminence to stay afloat in the skies.

Elincia herself was starting to feel tiredness yell out to her body to succumb. Her back was now sore from sitting up straight and flying Eminence for so long. Sitting behind her, her lady knight slept with her head drooped over her shoulder, with her arms remaining quite tightly wrapped around her Queen's waist.

A soft smile crossed Elincia's lips as her eyes fell on Lucia. It had been at her request 3 hours into the journey for her to rest her weary head, much as she stubbornly declined to her at first. Eventually with those concerned amber eyes, she had allowed sleep to overcome her. Since then, it had been another 3 hours. They had both left early in the morning to arrive at the decent time of noon.

"Lucia…" Elincia whispered, gently nudging her with her shoulder, "We're here."

"Huh…?" her lady knight incoherently mumbled, stirring awake. Elincia couldn't suppress a giggle.

"You look adorable when you sleep, you know."

A faint blush crossed her swordmaster's cheeks. She then lifted her head up to see Phoenicis ahead of her below.

"Did you stop at least once for rest?" Lucia looked at her, her eyes still droopy from her sleep.

"…" Elincia closed her eyes in guilt. She could imagine the condescending look in her azure eyes fall upon her at this moment.

"…well at least we're here. I'm sure King Tibarn will allow you to catch some rest once we arrive." Lucia simply replied, jumping to the solution instead.

"Yes…although I do hope I am not sleeping for long." Elincia's eyes averted to look at the sea below.

"Hmm? Why is that?" Lucia eyed her curiously.

"It is the day of the spirit harbringer Amantius, Lucia…" subsequently, a soft look crossed Lucia's face when she heard the sadness in her lover's tone.

Amantius, the historic spirit harbinger of love in Tellius. He had ceremoniously named one day in the Tellius calender as the "Day Of Compassion" – a day in which all people in Tellius would share gifts and this one special day with their loved ones. In particular however, there was always that one person who you cherished more than life and your own heart itself. In which several people were named under that category for Elincia despite so.

But this wasn't going to happen for them today. No; duty happened to call to them on this day. Elincia was to meet with King Tibarn and discuss about improvement of shipping trades between Crimea and Phoenicis. This was the last day that Elincia would've wanted to have done this; she valued the Day of Compassion greatly.

Every year, she had given gifts to Lucia, Geoffrey, Bastian, her uncle and all the ones she held dear. It was a public holiday in Crimea itself; Elincia would find the time to have moments with every important person she held and loved dear in her life. From when she was a little girl, this day had always been one of her happiest and most enjoyed in each year.

But now, she was not a little girl and nor was Lucia. They were both grown women, forever bound by duty to their country and called to it, no matter what the day or occasion was, significant or unimportant.

But even now, Elincia wished at least wanted to spend the day with one person…

And deep down, Lucia wished it was to be too…

"Queen Elincia!" a familiar boyish voice called out to the two of them. Flying towards them in hawk form, was a familiar light brown feathered hawk laguz.

"Friend Janaff! It is good to see you!" Lucia's eyes brightened up, a smile crossing her face.

"Well, if it isn't Lucia!" she could spot a smile cross the hawk's beak, "Sure has been a while since I've seen you!"

"As I could say for you, Janaff." a genuine smile crossed Lucia's face, "Have you come to lead the rest of the way to Phoenicis?"

"Yup, sure have! Spotted you both from the top of the building!" Janaff enthusiastically piped, "I better get you going, your Pegasi looks about to drop!"

Promptly, Janaff turned tail, gliding across and Elincia gently reared up Eminence to follow him.

* * *

><p>"Ah, Queen Elincia! Glad you were able to make it! I was worried the winds would be too tough for you to handle." King Tibarn's rougish voice greeted their presence in the room.<p>

"Admittedly my Pegasi is in dire need of rest and sleep. I do thank you for allocating her to a place for rest." Elincia bowed politely.

"Our guests are always deserving of such hospitality. I can see that you are quite in need of rest yourself from the journey." Tibarn's eyes appeared to peer at Elincia's viewable tired ones.

"Aha…yes, I admit I am quite tired. But, we must discuss this-"

"Nonsense! You and Lucia should receive all the rest you can have from making such a journey. This is the Day of Compassion and I will show as such to our guests. Please; we shall host our meeting tomorrow morning." Lucia watched as Elincia's eyes lit up in excitement at his words. l

"Are you certain, King Tibarn?" an amused look crossed Tibarn's face upon hearing the reflected excitement within the young queen's voice.

"Sure, knock yourself out! Janaff, please lead our guests to the room we've prepared for them."

"You got it, Tibarn! Come this way girls!" to her bemusement, Lucia found herself dragged by Janaff hand in hand. She had to note the guy sure was chirpy today. Then again he always was chirpy when he was around.

Or perhaps it was because it was the "Day of Compassion" as such.

_Well, that's understandable…_Lucia mused within her head as she was dragged along.

* * *

><p>Phoenicis Hall had a reason to be called as such. The two girls felt like they were in a never ending maze. Poor Elincia's eyes were becoming strained and quite dizzy at the constant repetitive patterns of the walls and floors. Eventually, she had to latch onto Lucia's arm to steady herself straight and awake.<p>

"Well, here we are! Third hall of Phoenicis Hall is where you're both staying." Janaff grinned.

"Thank you Janaff." Lucia bowed politely to him.

"Hey hey hey! What'd I say about formalities, eh Lucia?" Janaff perked his eyebrow up at her.

"I was just showing a sign of respect and thanks, Janaff." Lucia replied bemused. But instead, Janaff just laughed his head off.

"Still sticking by your noble formality code five years on eh? Some things just don't change." Janaff grinned, in which Lucia just sighed and shook her head haplessly.

"Anyway I'll leave you to look after sleepyhead here. Meanwhile I'll just go train my soliders some more. Toodaloo!" Janaff sprinted off and then flew out of the window in transformed state.

"Some things don't change…" Lucia murmured to herself, followed by a subtle small smile crossing her face, "All right Your Majesty, let's have you sorted."

With the keys Janaff had handed her, Lucia opened the door to the room, letting Elincia through first before shutting it behind her.

The room was quite luxurious in itself. It had a nice organic smell to replace the smelly salt sea waters one from outside. It was the placed plants in the room that made the organic smell and it was quite nicely decorated with a plush carpet floor. In the middle was one big bed.

Wait a minute…one big bed.

Lucia blinked. Elincia blinked. Both of them exchanged looks with each other.

"Tell me there's a reason for this…" Lucia was the first to speak.

"U-Um…maybe because of their wing spans? They need all the room to spread their wings?" Elincia suggested nervously.

_I guess that's logical…_Lucia mused in her head. If the big wing span of the Hawk King was not enough to suggest it, what else was there_ to_ suggest?

"…when was the last time we shared the same bed?" Elincia swallowed.

"Well, when we were still children, eh heh." Lucia sheepishly scratched the back of her head. She soon regained her composure though as she felt the tension in her queen's back.

"You should get some rest. Your back is very tense and sore…" Lucia started to take her crown off.

"Mm…my eyes feel so heavy now." Elincia closed her eyes as she felt her hair fall loose from her crown holding it up. Subsequently, her head began to throb and she groaned in dismay.

"Count an oncoming headache…" her grumpiness made her swordsmaster chuckle. The tired queen trudged over to the bed lifted the covers and flopped down with said hand on her head.

"…and now I feel like a total drama queen. Great." the further complaining only received more chuckling. Elincia looked at her with a tired playful look.

"Don't laugh at me."

"My apologies, drama queen." Elincia scowled at her as she pulled the covers over her queen. She sighed as she felt her eyes droop and her body succumb to sleep.

But not before she felt a soft kiss placed on her forehead.

"Sleep easy, Elincia…"

* * *

><p><em>Afternoon<br>Phoenicis Hall_

To pass by the time of the day, Lucia had decided to take in the fresh afternoon sea breeze that came by in the rocky alps of Phoenicis. She leaned her arms against the balcony, breathing in the sea smell and letting the feel of the wind wisp through her shorn hair. She quietly smiled to herself, remembering how Elincia liked her hair as it was because it 'suited' her more. Otherwise by now, it would've grown back to its luxurious long length that many envied back at that time.

Honest to goodness however, she agreed with her. Lucia herself believed her short hair suited her cryptic personality that many saw; not to mention it flowed far easier in battle. Admittedly, they had been right about her loose long hair getting in the way of her vision and being a hindrance in battle. With short hair, she felt far more adept with her movement, not to mention her long hair actually weight her down, thus not allowing her to move as freely or as fast.

She snorted at the irony Ludveck had caused for himself upon thinking these thoughts.

Her eyes then gazed down to her gold twisted bracelet around her right wrist. Only thing was though; it wasn't hers at all.

No…it was her gift for Elincia for today.

Gently sliding the bracelet off, she carefully held it in her hands so not to drop it. She moved it around with her fingers, twisting it and admiring the craftsmanship of the blacksmith in Melior she paid 20, 000 gold to craft the masterpiece. She had done some jobs on Bastian's behalf to earn the money last month, knowing this day was coming.

But whilst she had kept in mind Tibarn had pulled the day off, by the time Elincia would have recovered from her rest, it would be late. Too late to give this to her in a moment of their own.

Lucia closed her eyes in sombre silence…

"Miss Lucia?"

Her attention was grabbed by a very light, quiet gentle voice. A familiar quiet, gentle voice…

Turning around, Lucia's mouth opened in surprise.

"Princess Leanne!" she exclaimed in surprise.

It had been a good two years since she'd last seen the beautiful heron Princess. Even with her long blue hair back then, Leanne's golden shimmering hair remained longer than hers. The heron had not changed in appearance since them. Her green eyes were lift with excitement at seeing her.

"It is good to see you." to added surprise, it appeared Leanne had studied the beorc language incredibly well. She had not yet stuttered or stumbled over any of her words.

"It's wonderful to see you too, Princess." Lucia beamed, walking up to her, "How are you these days?"

"I am happy. Very happy. There is much peace in the land. No strain on my heart." Leanne appeared to phrase her sentences, but it was amazing how far she had come in the language within the two years Lucia had last seen her.

"I see Naesala's been teaching you well." Lucia noted to her.

"Yes. Naesala has been good to me. How is Queen Elincia?" Leanne asked.

"She's fine. She's tired at the moment…resting. But she would be more than happy to see you! I've heard that you and Naesala now have two children." Lucia could remember Elincia opening the letter, her and Elincia reading it over in excitement.

"Yes. Raven boy and a heron girl." Leanne replied.

"Wow…that amazing. I am happy for you." Lucia's eyes shined at her, in which Leanne thanked her, "I'm surprised you're not spending this day, the Day of Compassion, with Naesala though. Or your children."

"We came here when heard of Elincia. I want to see her. Shame she is in need of such rest." Leanne looked a little sad.

"Mmm…" was all Lucia could say in response. Leanne's eyes then looked down to the gold trinket in Lucia's hands. Her green eyes widened as she looked at the piece in awe.

"This is a lovely bracelet. May I look?" Leanne asked politely.

"Sure…" Lucia decided to trust the heron with the precious bracelet. Leanne was gentle, she wouldn't break it. She watched as the heron's slender, soft fingers ran over the emerald green gem pattern that ran around the twirled masterpiece.

"…this bracelet you wish to give Queen Elincia. I know."

Promptly, Lucia cursed at forgetting that the herons could peer into a person's heart and read their emotions. Not even someone like her, who could mask her intentions extremely well, could hide their own feelings about anything from a heron.

Suddenly, Leanne slipped the bracelet back onto Lucia's wrist and took her right hand, clasping her own two hands over it and drawing it to her heart. A light glowered from her hands as she held it there, a gentle, kind look on the heron's face.

Lucia just knew those green eyes were peering into her very soul…

"Go at sunset. You and Elincia. Fly with her on Eminence. At sunset…that is when you should give this to her." Leanne paused as she looked at her with a gentle smile.

"Elincia is the sun's rays to you…let this bracelet shine in that light…and then kiss her with all the love you possess…"

A single stray tear leaked out from Lucia's right eye at the heron who unlocked the reality of how much she loved her. Leanne gently released the hand she held and smiled at her, knowingly. Sympathetically.

It was too kind…

But before Lucia could open her mouth to thank her, Leanne had gone.

* * *

><p><em>Late Afternoon<em>

"Elincia…hey, wake up…"

Upon hearing her lady knight gently call her from her relaxing sleep, Elincia opened her eyes. She looked to the left to see Lucia smiling at her, stroking her hair.

"…what time is it?" she asked.

"Late afternoon. It'll be sunset soon." she replied.

"Really? I've been asleep for that long? Oh no…" immediately, Elincia could feel the guilt sink in. She had slept for the vast majority of the day and she knew for a fact, that King Tibarn had invited her and Lucia to join them for a dinner celebration of "Day Of Compassion" tonight.

By then, they would've tired out…with not a single moment alone together.

"Is it time to go to the dinner yet…?" she cursed herself for sounding miserable.

"No. No it's not. That's why I've woken you now." Elincia's eyes lit up at Lucia's words. She got herself to sit up in her bed to look at her. Lucia grasped her hand and smiled at her.

"There's something I want to do with you before we go there. At sunset." Elincia's eyes searched Lucia's ones to find the hidden meaning behind them. Lucia simply smirked at her and stood up, bringing her to stand with her.

"Get yourself ready. Oh and I hope Emi got enough rest from her flight…because we'll need her." now Elincia was completely curious as to what on earth she was planning. But to her mind's torture, Lucia simply smirked at her. It was back when they were children again; playing each other along until they revealed their secret. Most of the time, they were surprising, nice ones.

Now, Elincia could only wonder what surprise she had in store this time.

* * *

><p>Before she could even realise, she found herself laughing away with Lucia on silly jokes as they flew in the sunset. The breeze felt beautiful, being warmed by the sun and Eminence appeared to be thoroughly enjoying the weather. She flicked her mane of hair in the sunset and seemed to be very comfortable with the easy, comforting winds. Her hoofs lightly touched the ocean underneath them and even the spray of water touching her legs was enjoyable to feel.<p>

"Are you enjoying yourself as much as I am?" Lucia rested her head on her shoulder, her arms wrapped around her stomach.

"Yes…yes I am." Elincia put her head to hers, "Why don't I get you to ride with me more often?"

"Because we've never had the time…" Lucia closed her eyes, "Besides, I feel like riding should only be saved for special occasions like this."

"Yes…ones like this…" Elincia lifted the reins on Eminence to lift her up to higher ground.

"Although now that I think about it…we never really did have time at all to have moments like these since then…" Lucia sighed haplessly.

"Nor did we really spend them like this…" Elincia added to her words, getting Eminence to stop near the sunset so they could all take in the warmth.

"Which is why it feels so special now." upon hearing Lucia's words, Elincia turned around on her Pegasi to face her, who only let go of her for a second before wrapping her arms around her lower waist to support her.

"No...this one means much more than what any other moment with you meant before..." Lucia's azure eyes were deep in looking at her when she spoke the words.

In response to them, Elincia's amber eyes began to shimmer with emotion.

"Not even a hangman's rope kept me away from you," Lucia ran her fingers through a strand of emerald hair, "No, we beat them. We beat all the demons, Elincia…we're still together…"

"Yes…yes we are…" Elincia found herself breathless in her reply. Just hearing those words, her voice resonating in her head, just looking at her like this in one of those rare moments they got to have…

"There's no interruptions this time…they can't drag us down from the sky, not today." Elincia nodded her head in response. She felt like she was put under a spell on this sunset by her. She felt like she was in some trance, looking into those river blue azure eyes.

Slowly but surely, the sun started to dip down on that horizon. Lucia, averting her eyes for a moment, watched it dip down. She then remembered what she had to do and turned her eyes back to her queen and smiled.

"I have your present."

"Oh Lucia, you didn't have t-"

"No…" suddenly, a solemn gaze crossed the swordsmistress's face as she took her hands into her own, "I want to. This could be our only moment, our only day together like this in a long time…I want you to remember it with me…"

"…" Elincia stared at her in silence, unable to find herself to respond to something like that. Soon, Lucia let her eyes note to the necklace that sat around her neck.

"You gave me that necklace on my eighteenth birthday to always wear…I've not taken it off since and I remember what that birthday was like clear in my head. I was incredibly lucky to retrieve it back from the rebels after the rebellion. But yet…" Lucia's eyes averted down, "...I never really gave you something to wear from me for your birthday."

"Lucia…" Elincia reached out her hand to touch her face. Lucia's solemn eyes remained averted, until they moved back to meet Elincia's own once more.

"...I would've given this to you on your birthday, but Leanne encouraged me otherwise. This day, this moment…it has to be remembered. Because like I said, it could be our only one for a long time...or even just our only one..." at the last sentence she spoke, Elincia had to fight back the tears. In front of her, she visualised that hangman's rope once more around her neck, ready to cut her life short. It made Elincia reach out to touch her neck, in which Lucia silently stared at her in understanding silence.

Soon, Elincia shook her head to throw away that memory. That was never to happen again. Nor to be remembered ever again. No…they were here now. Right here, together and Elincia wouldn't have it any other way.

"…so where is it?" Elincia eyed her.

In which Lucia's trademark smirk formed on her lips.

"Believe it or not, it's been right in front of your eyes the entire time." she watched as Lucia lifted up her right hand wrist and slid off the bracelet that was being worn on it. She then held it out in front of her.

Elincia gasped. Her eyes bulged as she stared at the gold and emerald gemmed beauty. Delicately, she took it into her trembling hands and like Leanne before, her fingers ran over the pattern. She took that bracelet into her hands and she handled it as if it were someone's beating heart.

"Lucia…" she found her own eyes watering. It was now impossible to fight back the tears of happiness, her heart pounding from what she was feeling.

"Do you want me to put it on?" Lucia softly smiled at her.

"Yes…" when Elincia lifted her head up, her streaming tears glistened in the setting sun's rays. Promptly, Lucia lifted up her wrist and Elincia watched as the bracelet shone in the light.

_"Elincia is the sun's rays to you…let this bracelet shine in that light…and then kiss her with all the love you possess…"_

The words of Leanne had never been truer at this point. For within the suns rays, Elincia looked more radiant and beautiful than Lucia could've remembered looking at her before.

Brushing away the tears running down her cheek, Lucia brought Elincia's face close to hers and whispered.

"I love you, Elincia."

And she kissed her. She kissed her with all the love that she possessed for her in that heart of hers, with as much deepness and with as much passion she held within her heart for her queen. At this stage, the sun had dipped halfway below the ocean, causing a dark, red light and shadowing the two hidden lovers of Tellius within.

It was a slow pull away from each other, but they remained in an embrace and with river calm azure eyes looking at passionate amber ones.

"There's not anyone else, Lucia..." Elincia's voice was quiet, as if she were afraid to even speak her very words. "There's not anyone else who's my bringer of light…no one…"

"Not for me either..."

In the distance on the isle of Phoenicis, Janaff watched stunned at the shadow of two women and a pegasi in the sunset.

"...looks like some things have changed after all, eh Princess?"

Beside him, Leanne simply smiled, her hands clasped over her heart.

* * *

><p><strong>I've already ranted about you haters coming knocking on my door at the end of my Understanding fan fiction. I honestly really don't want to have to blurb to you guys on Valentine's Day of all days. In which Valentine's Day is about sharing the love and not the hate. I really don't want to have to put up with you lot on this day of all days. So I'll simply leave it as this; "I won't bite, so long as I'm not provoked."<strong>

**'Lucia' actually means 'light'. Hence why I played on the word in Elincia's last line. .W.**

**Lastly, Happy Valentine's Day TO ALL Fire Emblem pairings, bonds and relationships that exist. All of them; even the crack and nonsense ones. Oh and of course, Happy Valentine's to all of you. This is the day of love and compassion for everything.**

**From Yours Truly,****  
><strong>_Archsage Julz**  
><strong>_**Authoress**


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